Judd Trump is relishing the chance of enjoying within the new Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker in Saudi Arabia.
The world quantity two will probably be one in every of ten gamers who will probably be invited to take part within the inaugural staging of the match this March.
It’s going to mark the primary time knowledgeable snooker occasion will probably be held in Saudi Arabia.
“It’s superb for snooker to be going to completely different locations,” Judd Trump informed the World Snooker Tour on Thursday.
“It was superb for it to return to China, to really feel appreciated once more. However (with) the growth, we’re seeing snooker in new territories now.
“Exhibitions are popping up somewhere else. It’s superb that Saudi Arabia needs to become involved additionally.”
Solely a restricted quantity of particulars concerning the World Masters of Snooker was launched, however one new factor acquired everybody speaking.
There will probably be a twenty third ball – colored in gold – that will probably be price 20 factors and might solely be potted if a participant is on a most break.
If somebody reaches the normal 147 level, potting the gold ball will subsequently lengthen the very best break to 167.
“It’s utterly completely different. They’re attempting one thing completely different, and hopefully all of the gamers can get behind that,” the Englishman added.
“I feel each participant needs to be the primary to do one thing, so it’ll be an important achievement if I can do it.”
Trump, in the meantime, reached the semi-finals of this week’s World Grand Prix with a 5-1 defeat of Mark Selby on Thursday.
The highest seed is a three-time former winner of the occasion and is now simply two victories away from capturing a fourth rating title of a powerful 2023/24 marketing campaign.
“Mark struggled, however any time you beat him you’re all the time going to be pleased with that efficiency,” Trump mentioned.
“Particularly as comfy because it was. I’ve had a great report towards him just lately, and I can type of really feel that after I play.
“I really feel comfy towards him, and I simply attempt to play slightly bit extra attacking than I often would these days – simply to verify issues don’t get slowed down.
“After you come from the Masters to right here, you’re all the time going to be much more relaxed.
“You simply put issues into perspective. The Masters is so essential these days for me, simply being in London and issues like that.
“Whenever you come right here, the primary two or three video games I don’t actually care. They type of go by within the blink of a watch.
“Now I’m within the semi-final, you begin to care once more. I’m very glad to be in one other semi-final, and for me the match kick begins now.”
Trump, who received the World Grand Prix in 2015, 2019, and 2020, has snooker betting odds of 11/10 and is the outright favorite to say the title for a report fourth time.
The 34 year-old will encounter Cao Yupeng within the final 4 after the Chinese language cueist fought again from behind to oust Mark Williams.
The latter seemed to be in full management of the competition when he raced right into a 3-0 lead.
But Cao, 3 times a rating occasion runner-up, turned the match round and received the previous few frames with breaks of 74, 55, and 74 to clinch a 5-4 victory.
Trump and Cao’s semi-final will happen on Friday night, however earlier than that the remaining quarter-finals should be determined.
Final week’s Masters champion Ronnie O’Sullivan faces Gary Wilson whereas Ding Junhui entertains Zhang Anda within the different couple of last-eight fixtures.
2024 World Grand Prix draw and schedule
(Instances in UTC)
Spherical of 32 (bo7)
Judd Trump 4-2 Jamie Jones
Lyu Haotian 4-3 Chris Wakelin
Mark Selby 4-3 Yuan Sijun
Ali Carter 4-3 Wu Yize
Barry Hawkins 3-4 Cao Yupeng
John Higgins 0-4 Shaun Murphy
Hossein Vafaei 4-3 Matthew Selt
Mark Williams 4-3 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
Zhang Anda 4-2 Dominic Dale
Mark Allen 4-2 Jack Lisowski
Noppon Saengkham 4-1 Xiao Guodong
Ding Junhui 4-3 Ricky Walden
Tom Ford 4-1 Jordan Brown
Gary Wilson 4-2 David Gilbert
Zhou Yuelong 4-1 Stephen Maguire
Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-2 Pang Junxu
Spherical of 16 (bo7)
Judd Trump 4-0 Lyu Haotian
Mark Selby 4-3 Ali Carter
Cao Yupeng 4-0 Shaun Murphy
Hossein Vafaei 1-4 Mark Williams
Zhang Anda 4-2 Mark Allen
Noppon Saengkham 1-4 Ding Junhui
Tom Ford 2-4 Gary Wilson
Zhou Yuelong 3-4 Ronnie O’Sullivan
Quarter-Finals (bo9)
Judd Trump 5-1 Mark Selby
Cao Yupeng 5-4 Mark Williams
Zhang Anda vs Ding Junhui
(Fri, 1pm)
Gary Wilson vs Ronnie O’Sullivan
(Fri, 1pm)
Semi-Finals (bo11)
Judd Trump vs Cao Yupeng
(Fri, 7pm)
Zhang/Ding vs G.Wilson/O’Sullivan
(Sat, 7pm)
Closing (bo19)
Trump/Cao vs TBC
(Solar, 1pm and 7pm)